1883 Kelly’s Suffolk Directory

PREHISTORIC MAN.-During the last year or two satisfactory evidence has been obtained in Suffolk of the existence of man prior to the last Glacial Epoch, and the date of this cold period may be roughly estimated at some quarter of a million years ago! In beds of loam and brickearth at Botany Bay (near Brandon), Mildenhall Brickyard, High Lodge, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds, West Stow and Culford, which underlie undoubted Chalky Boulder Clay, flint implements have been found which are, undoubtedly, the work of a man. This discovery is due to Mr. S.B.J. Skertchly, of the Geological Survey, who has been engaged for some time at Brandon in the study of the gun flint manufacture there. Rude palaeolithic implements of later date have also been found in old river-gravels at Brandon, Hoxne, Icklingham, Lakenheath, Santon, Downham, Wangford &c. Of the Neolithic or Newer Stone Age numerous celts, arrow-heads, flakes &c. beautifully fashioned out of flint and often polished by rubbing; many specimens have been met with at Botesdale, Icklingham, Lakenheath, Mildenhall &c. but there is nothing in form or in workmanship to connect these with the roughly-chipped Palaeolithic tools; they were made by a different and later set of men, and the Glacial Epoch comes between them!

The flints in the chalk of the north-west of Suffolk at Brandon &c. are so well suited for manufacturing purposes that Mr. Skertchly believes that the art of working flints has been continuously carried on there from pre-historic times to the present day.

BRANDON, is a market town, parish and station on the Great Eastern railway, 88¼ miles from London, 6 west from Thetford and 9 north-east from Mildenhall, on the Little Ouse river (which hre divides the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and over which is a bridge of four arches), in the Western division of the county, partly in Norfolk, Lackford hundred, Thetford union and county court district, Fordham rural deanery, Sudbury archdeaconry and diocese of Ely. There is no local government, but the town is under the suprintendence of the county police, who have a small station here. The church of St Peter, situated a quarter of a mile west of the town, is an ancient structure, built of flint and stone, in the Early English style; it consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, with a Norman porch, containing a holy water stoup, and tower surmounted by a small spire, with 6 bells: the east end is ornamented with two cupolas: the church consisted originally of only a nave, built about 1050, and assumed its present dimensions about 1420: a new roof over the chancel was placed by the late rector in 1842; in 1873 a roof of higher pitch, was erected, and the church thoroughly restored, and seated with open benches at a cost of £2,100: the east window of five lights is stained, representing the Adoration of the Shepherds, the Baptism, the Crucifixion, and the Woman at the Tomb: at the west end there is another memorial winwo, of two lights, illustrative of Our Saviour washing St. Peter’s feet, and the Baptism of Cornelius, placed by the family of the late George Wood esq.,: during the restoration, some portions of a tesselated pavement were found; ther is some carved seating, the lower portions of a rood screen of 1560. The register dates fromt eh year 1653. The living is a rectory, with that of Wanford annexed, joint yearly value tithe rent-charge£707, with 147 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of and held since 1865 by the Rev. William Foord Crocker M.A. of Trinity Hall, Cambridge. There are chapels for Baptists in High street; Primitive Methodists in George Street and Wesleyan in London Road. Adjoining the church are three almshouses, rebuilt at the expense of the parish in 1840; they were devised by Mrs. Ann Curtis, in 1675; there are five other almshouses in the High street, appropriated to poor widows of the parish, which were rebuilt in 1877 in memory of Mrs. A. Angerstein, of Weeting Hall, by her daughter the late Mrs. C. A. Norman, widow of the late rector of Northwold. There are charities producing about £100 yearly. Thursday is the market day. The corn market is held at the Great Eastern Railway Hotel, adjoining the railway station. The fairs for cattle and toys are held February 14th and November 11th. There are some comfortable inns; and sub-branches of Gurney’s and Co. Norwich Bank, and Oakes, Bevan and Co. of Bury, open every Thursday only. A considerable trade is carried on in malt and timber and in fur and skin dressing. Barges ply to and from Lynn with corn and coal. Gas works have been erected by a local company, and the town has, sincethe commencement of 1869, been lighted with gas. Gun-flints, and flints for building and ornamental purposes, are manufactured here: during the continental war, which terminated with the battle of Waterloo, and before percussion caps were introduced, the trade in gun-flints was the chief dependence of the working classes here; the description of flint obtained from the beds of Brandon, below the chalk stratum, is superior to any other, being more certain in its fire, and lasting longer than any other; the masses of flint from which the gun-flints are made are obtained from a common about a mile south-east of Brandon; the chalk is within 6 feet of the surface; the men sink a shaft 6 feet, and then proceed about 3 feet horizontally, and then sink another shaft lower in the chalk, about 6 feet, and sometimes they fall in with a floor of rich flint at this depth; if not, they work again 3 feet horizontally, and sink another shaft 6 feet, and so they progress, perhaps for 30 feet, when generally they meet with three or four floors of flint, at every floor of which they excavate horizontally several yards: it is found in huge blocks, like septaria, which the men break into pieces sufficiently portable to hand from stage to stage, and a man being placed at each stage so formed, the flint is passed from hand to hand until it reaches the surface; it is then cut and worked with great skill into its required form. An extensive business is carried on in the fur and rabbit skin dressing by Mr. William Rought, who employs over 200 hands in that business. A Workman’s Hall was erected at the top of the High street in 1874, at a cost of £700. There are whiting mills; and an extensive steam saw mill, worked by Messrs. G. Wood and Sons, whch give employment to many hands. A mile and a half south of the park is North Court Lodge, the estate of Henry Brook esq., prettily situated in a wood of fir trees. Brandon Park the seat of Baron Henry de Barreto J.P., K.G.C.S. is a handsome modern mansion, one mile from the town, situated in an extensive wood of fir trees. Half a mile west of the town is Brandon Hall, and ancient mansion, the seat of Robert Burton esq. Brandon House, the residence of the Rev. Wm. Weller-Poley M.A., J.P. is a handsome brick building, situated on the Norfolk side of the river. There are also several villa residences. The Dukes of Suffolk took their names from this place, and it now gives the title of duke to the Hamilton family. Haron Henry de Barreto J.P. who is lord of the manor, and William Angerstein esq. J.P. are the principle landowners, but there are several smaller owners. The area is 6,759 acres, 25 in Norfolk; rateable value, £8,761; the population of the entire parish in 1881 was 2,309. Parish Clerk, Charles Farrow.

POST, MONEY ORDER & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Savings Bank & Government Insurance & Annuuity office, High street. – Fuller Rolfe, postmaster. Letters from London arrive at 12.43 a.m. & 12.35 p.m.; dispatched to London at 11.30 a.m. & 10 p.m.; or with extra stamp until 10.45 p.m. Letters are delivered at 7 a.m.. & 1 p.m. Money order & savings bank business transacted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; saturdays till 8 p.m.: telegraph business from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

COUNTY MAGISTRATES FOR LOCKFORD PETTY SESSIONAL DIVISION (Sitting at Brandon).
William Angerstien esq. Weeting Hall, Brandon
H.H. the Maharajah Duleep Singh, Elvedon hall, Thetford
C.H. Fison esq. king’s house Thetford
Rev. Robert Gwilt M.A. Icklingham, Mildenhall
Edward Philipe Mackenzie esq. Downham hall, Brandon
Rev. William Weller-Poley M.A. Brandon house, Brandon
Clerk to the Magistrates, George Isaacson, Mildenhall
Petty Sessions are held at the Police station every fourth thursday, commencing with the first in January & at the Police station, Mildenhall, every alternate friday at 12.30.

INSURANCE AGENTS. – County Fire, Williams & Wood, High street

PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS:-
Corn Market, Great Eastern Railway hotel
County Police Station, London road, Robert Hoggar, inspector
Fire Engine Station, London road
Workmen’s Hall, top of High street

PUBLIC OFFICERS:-
Assistant overseer & Tax Collector, Fuller Rolfe, High st
Inspector of Police, Robert Hoggar, London road
Lighting Inspectors, John Hunt, William Owles, Fuller Rolfe (& clerk) & William Wood
Medical Officer, Brandon district, Thetford union, Alfred John Gulliver Waters, Devonshire House
Registrar of Births & Deaths for Methwold sub-district & Relieving & Vaccination Officer, Methwold district, John Sharp, London road.

SCHOOLS:-
A Free Grammar school was endowed in 1646 by Robert Wright, of Downham hall, but by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners, in 1876, the land, school & teacher’s house & other buildings were vested in the Brandon School Board: the foundation & endowments are administered by seven governors, five representatives & two co-optative, under the name of the Brandon Exhibition Foundation: the income of the foundation to be applied in advancing the education of boys residing in Brandon, Wangford, Weeting & Santon Downham, by exhibitions of £20 each yearly, tenable at any place of higher education two of such exhibitions in the first instance to be competed for by boys of Wangford, Weeting & Santon Downham: the other exhibition, in default of fit candidates from the three parishes, to be competed for by boys residing in Brandon: the governors decide respecting the age of candidates, & no boy to be excluded from religious scruples.
Brandon Exhibition Foundation, Rev. William Weller Poley M.A., J.P. Brandon house & Rev. William Foord Crocker M.A. Rectory, co-optative governors; William Angerstein esq. J.P. Weeting hall; Edward Phillippe Mackenzie esq. J.P. Downham hall; & Messrs. John Hipkin Hunt, John Wood & William Rought, governors; Fuller Rolfe, clerk to the governors. A School board of 5 members was formed in 1873; Fuller Rolfe, clerk to the board; the board meet at the Board room, Market hill, the first tuesday in each month, at 6.30 p.m.
Board School, facing High street (mixed & infants), erected in 1878, for 300 children; average attendance, 250; at a cost of £3,350, is a handsome red brick building with stone dressings, partly in the Elizabethan style having in the tower an illuminated clock; William Pelling, master; Mrs. Louisa Pelling, mistress; Miss Isabelle Beer, infants’ mistress. Infants’, Town Street, built in 1843, for 120 children; average attendance, 91; Miss Edgington, mistress.

PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of services:-
St. Peter’s Church, Rev. William Foord Crocker M.A. rector; sunday service 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Baptist Chapel, High street, Rev. John Sage, minister; sunday service 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; thursday 7 p.m.
Primitive Methodist Chapel, George street, Rev. James Davison, minister; sunday service 10.45 a.m. & 6 p.m.; thursday 7 p.m.
Wesleyan Chapel, London road, Rev. Thomas Henry Love, minister; sunday service 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m. ; wednesday 7.30 p.m.
Railway Station, William Mann Simmons, station master

CARRIERS TO:-
NORTHWOLD – Crisp, monday, wednesday & friday
STOKE – Salmon, wednesday & friday
WATTON – Cock, monday, wednesday & friday

PRIVATE RESIDENTS

Armistead Rev. Chas. John M.A. [curate of Santon Downham], London Road
Barber Arthur Henry Lee, Lime Tree house
Barreto Baron Henry de J.P., K.G.C.S. [attache to the Persian Embassy], Brandon park; & Berkely house, Hyde Park square, London w
Boughen Miss, Bury road
Brook Henry, North Court lodge
Brown William, High street
Burton Robert, Brandon hall
Crocker Rev. Wm. Foord M.A. Rectory
Davison Rev. James [Primitive Methodist], London road
Evered Mrs. London road
Garner Miss, High street
Garner Mrs. High street
Garner-Richards Danl. Richd. High st.
Hardy Alfred, London road
Hitt Thomas, Northumberland house, Bury road
Horne Robert, Colston’s lane
Hunt John Hipkin, High street
King Mrs. London road
Love Rev. Thomas Henry [Wesleyan], Thetford road
Owles Charles, High street
Owles William, London road
Rae Frederick, Bury road
Read Stephen, London road
Rought William, Bury road
Sage Rev. John [Baptist], High street
Snare John, Thetford road
Thompson Robert, London road
Waters Alfred John Gulliver, Devonshire house
Weller-Poley Rev. William M.A., J.P. [rector of Santon, Norfolk, & rector of Santon Downham], Brandon ho
Wilton Thomas C.E. Holly ho. London rd
Wood George, Crafton house
Wood John, Connaught house, High st
Wood William, sen. Norfolk house
Wood William, jun. The Elms

COMMERCIAL

Ager Stphn. currier & shoe ma. Market hl
Alger Robt. jun. cattle dealer, High st
Allen & Burton, drapers & grocers, Thetford road
Ames Sarah (Mrs.), shopkpr. High st
Ashman George, tailor, London road
Balding Edward, farmer, Manor farm
Barber John Lee & Co. maltsters, Bridge street
Beeby John, coal, coke, wine, spirit & bottled ale & stout merchant, & agent for W. & A. gilbey’s wines & spirits, High street & Coal wharf, Railway station
Bloomfield John Cooper, painter, Bridge street
Brandon Co-operative Stores Limited (Hy Wm. Edwards, man.), Market hl
Brandon Exhibition Foundation
(Rev. William Weller-Poley M.A., J.P. Brandon house & Rev. William Foord Crocker M.A. Rectory, co-operative governors; William Angerstein esq. J.P. Weeting hall, Edward Phillippe Mackenzie esq. J.P. Downham hall & Messrs. John Hipkin Hunt, John Wood & William Rought, governors)
Brandon Subscription Rooms (Wm. Pelling, hon. sec.), High street
Boughen Hugh, photographer. London rd
Brown William, sec. to the Gas Co. High street
Brunton Robert, seedsman, High st
Calver Charles Walter, manager of gas works, Thetford road
Carter Oswald, baker, Town street
Chambers Dennis, pork butcher, High st
Chapman Elizabeth (Mrs.), china & glass dealer, High street
Chapman Osborne, draper, High street
Chapman Wltr. Waspe, grocer, High st
Clark James, baker, High street
Clark Jane (Mrs.), newsagent, High st
Clark Martha Ann (Miss), fancy repository, High street
Claxton Hubbard, wholesale game dealer, High street
Cock Thomas, carrier, High street
Cook Sarah Ann (Mrs.), bakr. Thetford rd
Cubitt Thomas, George, George street
Cullingford Thos. beer rtlr. Thetford road
Curson Henry, gun-flint maker, Town st
Dyer John, shopkeeper, High st
Edwards Henry & Robert, hatters’ furriers & skin merchants: best price given for hare & rabbit skins, London road
Edwards Henry, shopkpr. George st
Edwards Henry William, pork butcher, Thetford road
Edwards Wm. coal dealer, Market hill
Farrant Charles, butcher, London road; & Crown inn, Town street
Field James, Fox & Hounds, & whiting manufacturer, Thetford road
Foster Wm. boot & shoe ma. George st
Garner-Richards Daniel Richards, wholesale game dealer
Gas Works (William Brown, sec.; Chas. Walter Calver, man.), Lode st
Gentle George Wm. butcher, High st
Goose Susan (Mrs.), shopkeeper, London road
Gurneys, Birbecks, Barclay & Buxton, bankers (Wm. E. Sowels, manager), Bridge street; open thursday from 2 to 5 p.m.; draw on Barclay, Bevan & Co. London e.c
Hardy Alfred, corn, cake & seed merchant, Railway station
Hardy John, Great Eastern Railway hotel & posting house, hearse & mourning coach proprietor & farmer, Railway station
Harvey Henry, carpenter, London rd
Headly William, ironfounder & agricultural machinist, High street
Henley Robert, blacksmith, High st
Hoggar Rt. inspctr. of police, London rd
Holmes John Fredk. stationer, High st
Hubbard Maria (Mrs.), baker, London rd
Humphreys Henry, shopkeeper, Town st
Hyde Samuel, White Hart, & cooper, High street
Isaacson & Son, solicitors, Bridge st
Kent Alfred, Bell, High street
Kent Henry, beer retailer, Lode street
Kent John, beer retailer & poulterer, Market hill
Kent Robert, beer retailer, London road
King Emma (Mrs.), monumental mason, London road
Lingwood Samuel & Palmer, furriers & skin merchants, Thetford road
Lingwood Palmer Albert, coffee & refreshment room, British Workmen’s hall
Lingwood William, tailor, Thetford rd
Maynard Geo. Christ. dentist, High st
Maynard Henry Robert, chemist & stationer, High street
Meach Frederick, builder, London road
Mount Julia (Mrs.), lime burner & whiting manufacturer, Thetford road
Murrell Sophia (Mrs.), coal merchant & boat owner, Bridgefoot
Norton Harriet (Mrs.), shopkpr. Town st
Nunn William, shopkeeper, London road
Oakes, Bevan & Co. bankers (Isaacson & Son, agents), Bridge street; draw on Barclay, Bevan & Co. London e.c.
Olley Joseph, fishmonger, Town street
Osborne Jas. plumber & painter, High st
Paine Frederick Charles, land agent to Richard Garrett esq. Fen House
Palmer Betsy (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Thetford road
Palmer Mary Ann (Mrs.), bkr. Market hl
Parrott Arthur Thos. shoe ma. High st
Parrott James, miller (steam) & corn merchant, High street
Parrott Fredk. Wm. greengro. High st
Parrott Joseph, farmer, Thetford road
Parrott Richard, steam thrashing machine proprietor, Market hill
Press William, grocer, High street
Prior William, shopkeeper, Town street
Punt Lydia (Mrs.), Eagle Tavern, High street
Read Odden Frederick, solicitor
Rissbrook Ann (Mrs.), dress ma. High st
Rissbrook Fredk. bkr & confctnr. High st
Rolfe Fuller, house & estate agent, post-master, clerk to the school board & assistant overseer, High street
Rolph Isaac, Ram, Bridge street
Rolph William, farmer, High fen
Rought William, furrier, skin merchant, dresser & dealer (wholesale), Bury road. See advertisement
Rowell John, shopkeeper, Town street
Sainty Wm. pork butcher, London rd
Sharp John, registrar of births & deaths & relieving & vaccination officer, London road
Shinn Edward, White Horse, Town st
Smythe Joseph, bill poster, Stores street
Snare Alfred, nurseryman, Thetford rd
Snare Margaret (Mrs.), beer retailer, High street
Snare Robert, Five Bells, Market hill
Snare Robert John, wholesale & export
manufacturer of gun flints & ornamental flint for building purposes, Thetford road. See advertisement
Southwell Elizabeth (Mrs.), shopkeeper, Bury road
Spooner William, tailor, High street
Steggles George, beer retailer & agent to the Great Eastern Railway Co. for the delivery of goods & parcels, Thetford road
Talbot Walter, shoe maker, Bridge st
Talbot William Rawling, cabinet maker & upholsterer, Bridge street
Toombs Harry Marshall, hair dresser, High street
Trory Robert, manager to Barber John Lee & Co. maltsters, Bridge street
Upgraft William, shoe maker, London rd
Vale John, shoe maker, Thetford road
Waters Alfred John Gulliver, physician
& surgeon & med. off. Brandon dist. Thetford union, Devonshire house
Whitta Herbert William, marine store dealer, London road
Whitta Robt. grocer & draper, High st
White Agnes (Miss), dress ma. High st
Wigger Fredk. fishmonger, Stores st
Wilkin & Wood, solicitors (attend thursday), High street
Wilson William, farm bailiff to William & Gorthorpe Musgrave, Hiss farm
Wilton Thomas, builder, London road
Wing John, baker, London road
Wing William, blacksmith, London rd
Wolsey Hy. Kent, beer retailr. London rd
Wood George & Sons, timber merchants & contractors, steam saw mills
Woodrow Jas. ironmonger, London rd